Northwest K-9 Challenge Championship Series
Frequently Asked Questions
2011 NW K-9 Challenge 6-Round National Qualifier Series
Fairs Information Quick Fact Sheet
- The Series Championships is high-energy family fun with an ESPN-look where local competitors can also compete in one of five divisions or our new Give it a Try® program for first timers!
- The NW K-9 Challenge National Championship Series is a 5-round series plus a championship finals (total of 6 events).
- Round 5 is hosted by the Oregon State Fair.
- Preliminary semifinal competition starts on the first day of the event with the finals of all five divisions on the last afternoon of the event!
- Both you and your dog will feel the energy when you Rock Out in the “Dog Pound" where our professional staff spins a favorite high-energy classic rock or new country song for each dog every jump he (or she) gets!
- Come join the fun. During each series, we experience standing-room-only crowds, so don’t miss out!
- Competing dogs must be able to swim to compete in every division except Best Trick and Talent show.
The Series Championships
- Anyone with a Dog and a Ball meeting the following criteria:
- Dogs can be any age and any breed in all five Divisions
- Competitors (human) must be 7 years of age to compete and must have complete control of their dog
- Junior Handler Division 7 – 15 years / Adult Division 16 and older
Who can participate?
- Leash: 4ft or shorter is recommended
- Kennel: Recommended for all or multiple-day competitors otherwise you must monitor your dog on a leash at all times
- Floatable Toy: This should be one of your dog’s favorite floatable toys Competitors *Cannot use live animals i.e. ducks, raccoons, etc.
- Fresh water and a bowl
What do I need to compete?
- No dog can be left unattended (If dogs are left unattended in a car or truck, animal-control authorities will be summoned.)
- Clean up after your dog at all times
- No alcohol or drugs period!
- Aggressive dogs who attack another K-9 or human may be asked to leave (under discretion of staff)
- No foul language
- No dogs allowed on fairgrounds except in our staging area
- Please Do Not bring your female if she is heat
What are the Rules for expulsion?
- Event times*:
- The Give It A Try practice pool: Is open during practice and competition times of the Main stage. *See the event schedule for each individual Round for exact event times
- Cosequin competition stage: *Be sure to refer to the specific Round event schedule for exact event times.
- Fees:
- The Give It A Try® practice pool:
- $20 if you pre-register online and $25 on site.
- Registration is open all day at the events trailer.
- Contestants must sign a waiver and get a wristband before entering the staging area.
- Your entry fee entitles you to 1 hour of practice time and instruction from our pro staff with your group of 10 other handlers and dogs, prior to your scheduled event.
- Cosequin competition stage:
- $20 if you pre-register online and $25 on site
- *Your entry fee entitles you to unlimited practice time between waves when you are registered for an official competition wave
- The Give It A Try® practice pool:
What are the fees and competition times?
- All competitors, (Give It A Try and K-9 Challenge) competitors must enter through designated gate for dog and handler and proceed immediately to the NW Challenge events trailer to register, sign a waiver, and get a wrist band, then proceed to competition staging area next to the pool.
- The Staging Area is a fenced off area for all K-9 and handler teams (including Give It A Try teams) where they can put up a pop-up tent and kennel where they will stay for their duration of their competition time.
- No dogs are allowed outside this staging area and no dogs are to be left unattended.*
How do I know where to go, and what do my dog and I do when we get there?
- X-Treme Air - Long jump for dogs.
- X-Treme Vertical: High jump for dogs Pro 6ft+ / Semi-Pro 6ft-
- X-Treme Retrieve - A timed down and back retrieve for dogs in the pool
- X-Treme K-9 - Top dog in points of all events
- Pro division: 20ft +
- Semi Pro: 15 to 20ft
- Amateur: 10 to 15ft
- Novice: 0 to 10ft
- Mighty Dog: Dog must measure 16" at the withers
- Give It A Try® For First Time Competitors
- Best Trick: Open to all age groups and competitors
What are the division categories?
- Register On Site
- You can sign up for any event on site at the NW Challenge events trailer each day of competition.
- On-site registration begins each day 1 hour before each wave.
- Pre-register Online
- You can also sign up for all events online.
- Pre-registration information for all events is available on the Series Event Information and Registration Page*
- To avoid lines and get into the wave that fits your schedule, we suggest you register online.
- It's Fast, It's Easy, and It CAN SAVE MONEY!
- While you pay a $5 online registration fee, you SAVE $5 for EACH EVENT when you pre-register online. So, if you pre-register for multiple events, you can SAVE BIG!!!
How do I sign up?
- 3 groups of 15 dogs and their handlers make up a wave
- A team gets two jumps per wave in their group.
- Each competitor signed up to compete signs up for a specific wave time and gets two (2) jumps per wave.
- The competitor can jump in as many waves as available.
- There is a 45-dog limit per wave.
What is a wave?
- For more information go to the Series Event Information and Registration page where you will find links to Detailed Information for each Event Round as well as links to our Online Registration site for each event.
- You can also find additional information on our Series Facebook page
- For up-to-the minute informaiton, sign up for our electronic newsletter: To do so, just e-mail Micheal Allen at: mike@northwestchallenge.com. Feel free to forward the electronic newsletter to all your friends and family! It's the most comprehensive information pack for each event and gives you live links to every bit of information you will need including lodging, registration, maps, etc.
- Finally, you can contact Micheal Allen directly by phone or by email using any of the following contact information:
- Office: 541.689.3612
- Cell: 541.914.8402
- E-mail: mike@northwestchallenge.com
How do I get more information?
- X-Treme Air is a team dock jumping sport.
- Teams are made up of one dog and one handler. In the X-Treme Air event, handlers are allowed to throw a single, floatable toy into the water for their dog to chase. Each dog will have 2 attempts per wave and can enter as many waves as they like. To make the finals for the Pros we take the top 12 jumpers and the top six (6) jumpers of the four (4) lower divisions of the competition. Dogs can use the entire area of the 6-foot high, 40-foot dock before jumping into the water. Dogs are then electronically judged on their distance from the edge of the dock to point at which the base of their tail enters the water. First-time jumpers are encouraged to participate. Teams are divided into several divisions from the Little Jumpers to the Pros. Winners from each division will take home a prize and bragging rights . . . . maybe even a National Championship!
- X-Treme Vertical is a team high jump off the dock.
- Teams are made up of one dog and one handler. In the X-Treme Vertical event, a special bumper (toy) is suspended eight feet away from the end of the dock at varying heights. Each dog/handler team chooses a starting height, The Semi-Pro Division is for dogs jumping 5’11" and below. The Pro Division is for dogs jumping 6’0" and higher. Each dog will have 2 attempts at each height to grab or knock the bumper off the apparatus. Dog who make the grab move up to the next height. If they do not make a grab in two attempts, their recorded score is the last successful height that they grabbed or knocked off.
- X-treme Retrieve is a team dock sport.
- The team is made up of one dog and one handler. Each team will have two attempts at a time for the retrieve. The dog starts behind the 20-foot line on the dock. At the designated time, the handler releases the dog to retrieve the bumper that is suspended not more than four inches above the water at the opposite end of the pool. The time starts when the dog crosses the 20-foot mark on the dock. The dog runs down the dock, jumps into the water, swims and retrieves the bumper, turns around and swims back to the dock. The time stops when the dog reaches the specified mark line on the pool before reaching the onramp to the dock.
- Give it a Try ®
- Give It A Try ® is our own program for new and local dog jumpers who want to try dock jumping for the first time. We have a second smaller pool with a shorter and lower dock for newcomers to get used to jumping into a pool. Give it a Try® gives every handler and dog team that wants to try a better chance to jump. It's a great way to have fun, introduce your dog to the sport, and give your dog a job.
- X-Treme K-9:
- Top dog in points of all sports (X-Treme Air, X-Treme Vertical , X-Treme Retrieve) for said event.
- Best Trick:
- This is a fun way to entertain the crowd and let teams show off their teamwork. Dog and handler get 90 seconds to show off their best trick. Winners are determined by the crowd!
What are the division descriptions?
Series Quick Links
DIRECTV, Official Series Partner:
Contact Shad For Hot Deals on DIRECTV:
1-866-443-3351 / 360-798-2227
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